Doctor Who - Half time

Are you still pining for the days of 25-minute instalments of Doctor Who? For 26 years, barring the occasional oddity such as the 90-minute Five Doctorsanniversary special and the 45-minute instalments that comprised Season 22, the traditional duration of a Who episode was about 25 minutes. However, with the start of the new series in 2005, that appears to have changed forever. But help is at hand! Richard McGinlay continues to compile his handy “stop ’em halfway through” guide to viewing the new series episodes...

I accept that the old format of Doctor Who would seem like an oddity among today’s television schedules, when audiences are far more familiar with the structure of genre shows such as Stargate, Heroes and Lost. Nowadays, the only primetime drama series with episode durations of less than 30 minutes are soap operas.

Nevertheless, a part of me still longs to have its Who served up in bite-size chunks of about 25 minutes. I find myself searching out suitable “half-time” cliffhangers in each new instalment, and I thought I would share my findings with you. If some of the timings that follow seem a little on the short side, remember that many old-series episodes (such as those of The Mind Robber and The Leisure Hive) fall far short of the full 25 minutes, that these timings do not include end credits, and that the subsequent part would be preceded by a recap. Furthermore, episodes from Series 2 could be preceded by their respective one-minute TARDISODE teasers.

So, the next time you’re watching an episode of new Who on videocassette, DVD, DVR or PVR, try pausing it at the point I have indicated below and imagine that cliffhanger “sting”. Eeeeeeoooooowwwwww!!!

While Pete watches Frankenstein on TV, a different kind of creature is coming back to life in the hospital morgue. The regenerated Doctor opens his eyes and sits up, as Victor Frankenstein is repeatedly heard to yell: “It’s alive...!”

44 minutes 33 seconds in

The Doctor feels the effects of the Master and Chang Lee opening the Eye of Harmony inside his TARDIS. “Something’s happening, something’s happening, something’s happening,” he gasps frantically.

“Oh, my God,” cries Grace, powerless to help him...

65 minutes 40 seconds in

In the TARDIS control room, Grace knocks the Doctor unconscious. She has fallen under the influence of the Master, who now enters the room accompanied by Chang Lee. The Master smiles across at his new acolyte. The blank-eyed Grace smiles back...

In his shed, Clive issues Rose with a dire warning. “If the Doctor’s back, if you’ve seen him Rose, then one thing’s for certain: we’re all in danger.”

Meanwhile, on the street outside, Mickey cautiously approaches a wheelie bin that seems to have taken on a life of its own. We freeze-frame as he yanks open the lid to peer inside...

The End of the World, 23 minutes 06 seconds in

“So,” says the Doctor as he and Jabe make their way along the maintenance shaft, “what you’re saying is, if we get into trouble there’s no one to help us out?”

“I’m afraid not,” admits Jabe.

“Fantastic!”

Unseen behind them, a robotic spider emerges from its hiding place... (Jabe’s next words are muted by the cliffhanger “sting” and are not heard until the next instalment.)

The Unquiet Dead, 25 minutes 45 seconds in (but by moving the Dickens/Doctor scene at time index 19:31-21:18 to the subsequent episode, this timing could be adjusted to 23 minutes 58 seconds)

Gwyneth has managed to scare both Rose and herself with her spiritual insights about Rose and “the big bad wolf”.

Suddenly the Doctor appears at the kitchen door. He is in need of Gwyneth’s help. “We’re gonna have a séance,” he announces...

Aliens of London, 22 minutes 37 seconds in

The Doctor realises that the revived alien is still in the room. He gets down on his hands and knees to search for it. As he pokes his head around one corner of a desk, the creature pokes its head around the other. We see only part of a strangely shaped ear and nose (and I don’t mean the Doctor’s) as the Time Lord regards it with a look of wonder...

World War Three, 22 minutes 10 seconds in

The Slitheen masquerading as Joseph Green has felt the death of one of his brethren, at the hands of Jackie and Mickey. He utters a vengeful oath: “That’s the last piece of luck anyone on this rock will ever have...”

Dalek, 23 minutes 53 seconds in

Adam and Rose run for their lives as De Maggio makes a futile stand against the Dalek that is levitating up the stairs. We hear the soldier’s scream as she is exterminated. The youngsters continue to run...

The Long Game, 21 minutes 03 seconds in (could be preceded by an Adam-themed recap from Dalek)

The Doctor has deduced that the development of human civilisation has been set back by about 90 years, the same length of time that Satellite Five has been broadcasting.

Elsewhere, Adam begins to transmit sensitive information about future technology back to his own time. From the scrolling screen, he reads, “The microprocessor became redundant in the year 2019, replaced by a system called SMT...”

Father’s Day, 21 minutes 07 seconds in (could be preceded by a themed recap including moments from Rose - “Did I mention, it also travels in time?” - and The Long Game - “I only take the best. I’ve got Rose.”)

Outside the church, the Reapers swoop down to attack another victim...

The Empty Child, 19 minutes 02 seconds in

The creepy gas-masked child is outside the door, reaching a hand through the letterbox, pleading to be let in.

“OK,” says the Doctor, after some consideration, “I’m opening the door now.”

The child withdraws the hand. The Doctor unbolts the door... and opens it...

The Doctor Dances, 23 minutes 03 seconds in

Nancy is handcuffed to a table and guarded by Jenkins, a soldier who bears a characteristic scar on his hand. Nancy knows that Jenkins carries the Empty Child’s infection, just as surely as she knows that his touch will infect her. Before her terrified eyes, Jenkins begins to transform...

Boom Town, 21 minutes 25 seconds in (recap could be extended to include moments from The Unquiet Dead)

Margaret challenges those who have effectively condemned her to death - Jack, Mickey, Rose and the Doctor - to look her in the eye. None of them can...

Bad Wolf, 20 minutes 38 seconds in

The Doctor realises that he has been on this particular space station before - and quite recently too. “This is Satellite 5!” he exclaims, as we cut to an exterior shot of the station...

The Parting of the Ways, 22 minutes 42 seconds in

The Dalek fleet has arrived. “This is it!” announces Jack. “Ladies and gentlemen, we are at war!”

Above the Earth, hundreds of Daleks swarm out of their ships, ready to attack the planet and the station...

Rose, Mickey and Jackie are startled as the live broadcast from the Guinevere One space probe reveals a terrifying, growling alien face...

37 minutes 25 seconds in

With the Doctor lying unconscious inside the TARDIS, Rose steps forward to address the Sycorax. “Someone’s got to be the Doctor,” she says.

“They’ll kill you,” pleads Harriet Jones, Prime Minister.

“Never stopped him.” Rose faces the crowded amphitheatre...

New Earth, 21 minutes 13 seconds in (preceded by series trailer and TARDISODE 1)

Looking down upon the hundreds of cells of infected humans, the Doctor announces the appalling truth: “No wonder the Sisters have got a cure for everything. They’ve built the ultimate research laboratory. A human farm...!”

The werewolf breaks free of its cage. The Doctor stares at the awesome beast, as if mesmerised...

School Reunion, 21 minutes 52 seconds in (preceded by TARDISODE 3)

Perching on a rooftop, the sinister Mr Finch and a bat-like Krillitane observe the Doctor, Rose, Mickey and Sarah. Finch reacts as the Time Lord mentions his own people. The Krillitane swoops down towards the Doctor and Rose...

The Girl in the Fireplace, 22 minutes 10 seconds in (preceded by TARDISODE 4)

Rose and Mickey awake to find themselves in the clutches of the clockwork robots.

Mickey begins to panic. “They’re gonna chop us up! Just like the crew. They’re gonna chop us up and stick us in a bit of stupid spaceship! And where’s the Doctor? Where’s the precious Doctor now? He’s been gone for flippin’ hours, that’s where he is!”

Mickey has made contact with his alternate universe grandmother, who apparently knows him as Rickey.

They are about to enter her house when a blue van screeches to a halt alongside them. A young man jumps out of the vehicle and, uttering the words, “We’ve been looking for you everywhere,” bundles Mickey inside.

As the van zooms away, the blind old woman is left behind on her doorstep, calling out her grandson’s name...

The Age of Steel, 23 minutes 32 seconds in (subsequent episode preceded by TARDISODE 6)

Rose and Pete have succeeded in locating Jackie, but they are too late. She has already been “upgraded”.

“Jacks, I came to save you,” wails Pete.

The emotionless Cyberman that was once Jackie Tyler declares: “This man worked with Cybus Industries to create our species. He will be rewarded by force. Take him to Cyber Control...”

The Wire reaches out and begins to suck Rose’s face into the television screen.

“Just think of that audience tomorrow, my dear,” says Mr Magpie, “all settling down to watch the Coronation. Twenty million people. Things will never be the same again. I’m sorry - so sorry.” He turns away in disgust and shame at his own complicity.

After hearing the sinister voice of the Beast, Toby feels a strange sensation in his hands. He tears off his latex gloves. The palms of his hands are now covered with the strange, alien symbols. He picks up a mirror - and sees that his face is also tattooed with the ancient characters. His eyes glow red.

He collapses to the floor...

The Satan Pit, 23 minutes 57 seconds in

As Rose and Danny desperately try to escape from the Ood, Toby turns to one of the approaching creatures. He puts a finger to his lips to indicate secrecy. His eyes are glowing red. He is still possessed by the Beast...

Love & Monsters, 23 minutes 01 second in (preceded by TARDISODE 10)

Victor Kennedy has asked Bridget to remain behind for “a word in private” - just as he did before with the now missing Bliss.

As she waves goodbye to the rest of the group and the lift doors slide shut in front of her, little do they realise how final this farewell truly is...

The Doctor, Rose and Trish are in Trish’s kitchen, discussing her daughter’s strange powers. “Chloe’s real dad is dead,” muses the Doctor. “But not the one who visits her in her nightmares. That dad seems very real. That’s the dad she’s drawn - and he’s a heartbeat away from crashing into this world.”

“She always got the worst of it when he was alive,” explains Trish.

“Doctor, how can a 12-year-old girl be doing any of this?” asks Rose.

The Doctor takes a deep breath, then proclaims: “Let’s find out.” Purposefully, he leads the way from the room...

Army of Ghosts, 22 minutes 15 seconds in (preceded by TARDISODE 12)

As per their motto, “If it’s alien, it’s ours”, the personnel of Torchwood have claimed the TARDIS as their own. The Doctor and Jackie can only watch as the ship is driven away on the back of a truck. Rose, trapped inside the TARDIS, peers out through the police box’s doors...

Doomsday, 22 minutes 21 seconds in

As the Genesis Ark becomes active, Dalek Thay gloats: “Cybermen have been exterminated! Daleks are supreme!”

“The Genesis Ark is primed,” announces Dalek Jast.

“The Ark needs area of thirty square miles,” states their leader, the black Dalek Sec. “Move!”

Close up on the mysterious device, as Jast reports: “Genesis Ark mobile!”

40 minutes 18 seconds in (incorporating TARDISODE 13)

As Rose searches a deserted, windswept beach, her voice-over cryptically informs us: “Here I am at last, and this is the story of how I died.” We still don’t know how, or in what way, she died or is about to die.

She looks for the Doctor but finds no sign of him. Then he fades into existence before her, insubstantial, like a ghost...

The Runaway Bride, 14 minutes 48 seconds in (preceded by the closing 5 minutes 15 seconds of Doomsday; could also include some flashback footage from Turn Left)

The Doctor urges the reluctant Donna to jump from the speeding taxi into the equally fast-moving TARDIS. Freeze-frame as she leaps...

35 minutes 24 seconds in

The Doctor demands that the Empress of the Racnoss show herself.

“Prepare your best medicines, Doctor-man, for you will be sick at heart,” she warns.

Beaming down from her orbiting spaceship, the creature materialises in front of the Doctor and Donna, revealing her hideous, spider-like form to them and us for the first time. The Time Lord and the human look appalled...

Martha races to find the Doctor, and soon both of them are being chased. They almost run into one of the Judoon, whom the Doctor wants to avoid at all costs. They enter a deserted part of the hospital. All the while, the pursuing Slab shows no sign of slowing down...

The Shakespeare Code, 23 minutes 11 seconds in

In the Globe Theatre, a rehearsal of the final scene of Love’s Labour’s Won accidentally conjures up a preview of the terrifying events to come. A swirl of red cloud gathers in the air above two players, and a hideous creature - apparently part bird, part witch - materialises within it.

“By all the saints,” says one of the actors. “It’s a spirit. It’s a vile shade..”

Gridlock, 21 minutes 41 seconds in (could be preceded by a recap from New Earth)

“Bye then!”

Regardless of the danger, determined to rescue Martha, the Doctor drops from Brannigan’s vehicle...

Having barely escaped from the pig people in the sewers (but not without the loss of Frank), the Doctor, Martha and Solomon emerge... only to find themselves at gunpoint.

The person holding the pistol, Tallulah, demands to know: “What have you done with Laszlo?”

Martha looks on in fear and confusion...

Evolution of the Daleks, 24 minutes 37 seconds in

Inside the Empire State Building, Dalek Sec’s plans are nearing fruition - and the Doctor is helping!

“There goes the gene solution,” says the Doctor, as the blue liquid flows up through the transparent pipes.

“The life blood,” says Sec.

Above them, dormant human bodies begin to twitch with life...

The Lazarus Experiment, 21 minutes 12 seconds in (could be preceded by a recap from Smith and Jones)

On the rooftop, the Doctor, Martha and her sister Tish witness Lazarus’s transformation into a giant, scorpion-like creature (our first full view of the monster). “Run!” shouts the Doctor, as the hideous beast lunges towards them...

The Infinite Quest, 24 minutes 39 seconds in (i.e. the end of the seventh Totally Doctor Who mini-episode)

Pilot Kelvin warns the Doctor and Martha that everything within a hundred-mile vector is about to be spatially disintegrated by Earth forces in order to exterminate the Mantasphid invaders. “Kills all known bugs - dead!”

Up above, bombers approach the city carrying their lethal payloads...

42, 23 minutes 12 seconds in

As the escape pod detaches itself from the ship, the Doctor repeats a desperate promise to Martha: “I’ll save you!”

In the privacy of his dormitory, Latimer opens the watch he somehow feels drawn towards. The watch he has purloined from John Smith. The watch containing the Doctor’s Time Lord essence. Strange visions flow into the boy’s mind: Daleks, Cybermen, Ood, the werewolf, Sycorax, the Empress of the Racnoss, Lazarus... Latimer snaps the watch shut.

Elsewhere, the possessed Baines sniffs the air. He has detected a trace of the Time Lord he is searching for...

The Family of Blood, 21 minutes 48 seconds in

The Family possess the TARDIS, a device Smith claims to not even recognise.

Nearby, the terrified Smith pleads with Martha and Joan for his continued existence. “I’m John Smith. That’s all I want to be. John Smith. With his life and his job... and his love. Why can’t I be John Smith? Isn’t he a good man? Why can’t I stay?”

“But we need the Doctor,” insists Martha, regretfully.

Smith gapes at her in horror...

Blink, 22 minutes 13 seconds in

Sally returns to the parking garage, only to find it deserted. Billy has vanished, as has the mysterious police box...

Elsewhere, Billy falls back against a brick wall. He slides down to the ground, winded.

A man and a woman run towards him. The man - the Doctor - carries a strange beeping device. “Welcome,” he declares.

“Where am I?” asks Billy.

“1969,” is the rather surprising reply...

Utopia, 22 minutes 01 second in (could be preceded by a recap from the Torchwood episode End of Days)

As the humans board the spaceship bound for Utopia, little do they realise that one of the savage Futurekind walks among them. She hisses, revealing her pointed teeth, then moves out of view...

The Sound of Drums, 23 minutes 29 seconds in

With the Doctor, Martha and Captain Jack on the run as hunted fugitives, the Master reassures a Toclafane that “the machine” will reach critical tomorrow morning. “Tell your people: the world is waiting.”

The Toclafane vanishes, and the Master looks out of his window at the rain-swept evening, as though he is gazing upon the dawn of a new era - or the end of an old one...

Last of the Time Lords, 22 minutes 16 seconds in

The truth about the Toclafane has been revealed: they are all that remain of the Utopia colonists from the end of the universe.

The Master gloats to the caged Doctor. “Human race: greatest monsters of them all...”

43 minutes 18 seconds in

Professor Docherty smiles in bemusement after being given a bouquet of flowers by Martha - a woman who is a stranger to her in the restored timeline...

Time Crash (preceded by the closing 7 minutes 16 seconds of Last of the Time Lords and followed by the opening 6 minutes 44 seconds of Voyage of the Damned)

A Host has gone “on the blink”. It is taken below deck for repair or disposal. This is the eighth such malfunction so far, including an incident in which a First Class passenger was nearly strangled, but the technician has no idea what is going wrong.

Unseen, the inert Host twitches into life and turns its head...

Voyage of the Damned, 28 minutes 05 seconds in

Bannakaffalatta crawls through the narrow gap between the wreckage. The structure doesn’t look very stable. Suddenly, the ship shudders alarmingly...

The Doctor and Donna have finally noticed each other in opposite windows of the Adipose Industries building. They mime and lip-read messages to each other until, eventually, Donna realises she has been noticed by Miss Foster.

“Get her!” yells Foster to her guards...

The Fires of Pompeii, 24 minutes 30 seconds in

The Doctor and Quintus urge Quintus’s family to leave the house, but their efforts are to no avail. From out of the hypocaust bursts a massive, humanoid creature of rock and flame...

Planet of the Ood, 21 minutes 02 seconds in (could be preceded by a recap from The Impossible Planet and The Satan Pit)

Trapped inside a cargo container literally packed with red-eyed Ood, Donna calls out to the Doctor for help.

But the Doctor has problems of his own, trying to evade a giant mechanical grabber. He stumbles and falls. The deadly metal claws descend towards him...

“Come with us.” Two UNIT soldiers ask Martha to accompany them and report to Colonel Mace. Martha follows their lead.

The camera pans back to reveal that these are the two soldiers we recently saw being conditioned by the Sontarans...

The Poison Sky, 22 minutes 35 seconds in

Rattigan is horrified to learn that Staal has betrayed him: there is no colony planet waiting for him and his group.

Rattigan flees via the teleport pod, and Staal orders that no other humans will be allowed to escape their fate in this manner. “Close all teleport links to Earth. Isolate them - as they perish...”

The Doctor’s Daughter, 23 minutes 23 seconds in

The Doctor, Donna and Jenny are being pursued by Cobb and his soldiers, but their route is barred by a cat’s cradle of laser beams.

“That’s not mood lighting, is it?” asks Donna, ruefully.

The Doctor throws his toy mouse into the path of the laser beams. It explodes in a flash of light.

“No,” sighs Donna, “didn’t think so...”

The Unicorn and the Wasp, 22 minutes 10 seconds in

After sipping his drink, the Doctor comes to a horrifying realisation. He calmly informs Donna and Agatha that: “Something’s inhibiting my enzymes.” Then he cries out in agony. “I’ve been poisoned...!”

The UNIT soldier sees something terrifying on Donna’s back, as have several other people of late. At gunpoint, he forces her to turn around. Close up on the soldier’s anxious face as he stares at Donna’s back...

The Stolen Earth, 23 minutes 31 seconds in

Wilfred and Sylvia are confronted by a Dalek.

“Hostility will not be tolerated,” it squawks. “Exterminate! Exterminate...!”

Journey’s End, 21 minutes 55 seconds in

Prisoners of Davros, the Doctor and Rose are forced to listen to the insane Caan’s prophecies:

“This I have foreseen in the wild and the wind. The Doctor will be here as witness at the end of everything. The Doctor and his precious Children of Time.” Caan laughs. “And one of them will die...”

42 minutes 07 seconds in

The Supreme Dalek descends into the Vault to take charge of matters. “The Vault will be purged! You will all be exterminated!” He fires...

The Next Doctor, 14 minutes 36 seconds in (preceded by the Proms mini-episode MusicoftheSpheres)

The Tenth Doctor has trapped a Cyberman behind a door, but that won’t hold the creature back for long.

Out on the dunes, the Doctor and Christina are observed through compound eyes.

“Doctor...” says Christina, noticing something.

Dramatic zoom in on a bipedal creature with the head of a fly...

47 minutes 36 seconds in

As the rays approach, the bus lifts off, with the Doctor at the steering wheel. Christina asks him: “Do you think this thing will survive the journey back?”

“Only one way to find out,” he replies. “Next stop...”

“...Planet Earth!” The bus accelerates and Christina screams...

The Waters of Mars, 16 minutes 05 seconds in (preceded by the final ten minutes of Planet of the Dead)

With a snarl, Andy swings around to face Tarak. Dripping with water, his features are hideously mutated...

38 minutes 32 seconds in

The deadly water has begun to seep through the structure of the base. The crew continue packing supplies for the evacuation, though the Doctor knows their efforts will be in vain. Bowie Base One is destined for destruction. With great sadness and reluctance, the Time Lord turns and walks away, leaving the humans to their fate...

Dreamland, 22 minutes 30 seconds in

Night Eagle leads the Doctor, Cassie and Jimmy into a cave, in which they find... another grey alien.

“Oh my,” breathes the Doctor...

The End of Time, 23 minutes 38 seconds in

The Doctor and the Master face each other. There is a brief pause of tense silence, then the Master laughs and the skin of his face momentarily vanishes to reveal the skull beneath...

45 minutes 07 seconds in

In a moment of privacy, Addams and Rossiter reveal their true forms as green, spiny-headed aliens.

“What if this visitor is some sort of genius,” ponders Addams. “Well, think about it. We’re hijacking this project - maybe we can use him too. Harold Saxon, or whatever he is, might be exactly what we need...”

8 minutes 15 seconds into Part Two

Donna collapses to the ground.

On the other end of the phone, Wilf asks: “Donna, what was that?” There is no answer. “Donna?” Still no reply. Wilf calls out: “Donna, are you there...?”

30 minutes 18 seconds into PartTwo

After hearing the Master’s broadcast, the Doctor explains to Wilf: “The White Point Star is only found on one planet... Gallifrey! Which means... it’s the Time Lords! The Time Lords are returning...”

49 minutes 38 seconds into PartTwo

The Doctor is amazed to find that he is still alive. Then he hears a knocking sound. It knocks four times. It means that the Ood prophecy has not yet been fulfilled. It knocks again, four times. It means that the Tenth Doctor is still destined to die. It knocks again, four times...

The Eleventh Hour, 22 minutes 58 seconds in (could be preceded by a recap from The End of Time)

Handcuffed to the radiator, the Doctor shouts through the door to Amy: “Don’t try to see it. Once you’ve seen it, it will kill you. Don’t look at it! Do not look!”

Heedless of his warning, Amy turns and stares straight at the slimy, sharp-toothed snake-like creature. It opens its mouth and snarls...

43 minutes 38 seconds in

Amy and Rory realise that the woman and her two children are in fact the Multiform. The three aspects of the creature open their mouths, baring their pointed teeth...

The Beast Below, 19 minutes 23 seconds in (preceded by Meanwhile in the TARDIS 1, which could itself be preceded by a recap from The Eleventh Hour)

In the Voting Booth, the Doctor has protested. The Smiler turns from angry to demonic. The floor opens up, revealing a hellish, red-glowing chasm below. The Doctor and Amy drop down.

Outside the Voting Booth, the sign switches from OCCUPIED to EMPTY...

Victory of the Daleks, 20 minutes 58 seconds in (could be preceded by a recap from The Beast Below)

The Doctor looks on quizzically as the new Daleks emerge from the Progenitor, bigger, bolder and deadlier than ever before.

“Behold the restoration of the Daleks,” chants one of the khaki Daleks, “the resurrection of the master race...!”

The Time of Angels, 19 minutes 48 seconds in (could be preceded by a recap from Blink, Silence in the Library and Forest of the Dead)

Amy is trapped with the image of the Weeping Angel, which has managed to step out of the video screen towards her. The Doctor and River Song are unable to get to her. “Doctor,” asks Amy, “what’s it going to do to me...?”

Flesh and Stone, 22 minutes 42 seconds in

Amy opens her eyes briefly to observe the strange energy pattern, which seems to have frightened the Weeping Angels away. Incredibly, she recognises the pattern from her childhood. “It’s the same shape,” she breaths, “as the crack in my wall...”

The Vampires of Venice, 24 minutes 56 seconds in

Amy kicks out at Rosanna. Her foot hits a device at Rosanna’s hip, causing the matriarch to transform into a hideous fish-like creature...

Amy’s Choice, 22 minutes 17 seconds in

The old people advance upon the Doctor, Amy and Rory. One of them, Mr Nainby, manages to pick Rory up and hurl him to the ground. How did he do that? The pensioners open their mouths, each revealing a creepy alien eye within...

The Hungry Earth, 21 minutes 50 seconds in

Something is making its way up to the surface from underground. As the Doctor, Rory, Nasreen, Tony, Ambrose and Elliot prepare their defences, a digital display counts down the time they have left. Before long, the countdown reaches 05:04...

Cold Blood, 23 minutes 31 seconds in

With the death of Alaya, the humans on the surface have lost their bargaining chip. Peace with the Silurians now seems impossible.

However, Ambrose has an idea - one that fills Tony with horror. Initially he refuses to go along with her plan, but Ambrose argues, “If you won’t do it for me, do it for Elliot. I know I did wrong... but I can’t lose him, Dad.”

She walks away, leaving Tony with a difficult decision...

Vincent and the Doctor, 25 minutes 16 seconds in

“There!” cries Vincent van Gogh. “He’s at the window.”

The Doctor and Amy spin round. “Where?” asks the Doctor.

Through Vincent’s eyes, we see the Krafayis in one of the church windows...

The Lodger, 21 minutes 19 seconds in

In the upstairs flat, another victim meets an unpleasant fate.

On board the TARDIS, Amy cries out as the vessel rocks alarmingly.

In the park, the Doctor loses contact with his ship. “Amy,” he asks nervously, “are you there...?”

The Pandorica Opens, 24 minutes 12 seconds in

As the Cyber-sedative begins to take effect on Amy, the partial Cyberman advances towards her...

The Big Bang, 24 minutes 52 seconds in

An unmistakable voice grates, “Exterminate!”

The stone Dalek rises up to confront the Doctor, Amy, Rory and River on the rooftop...

48 minutes 26 seconds in

The TARDIS - something old, new, borrowed and blue - materialises among the wedding guests. The Doctor is back...!

A Christmas Carol, 18 minutes 37 seconds in (preceded by the final 4 minutes 43 seconds of The Big Bang)

Having been told by the Doctor that he will soon be able to see a fish, young Kazran wonders whether this will be dangerous.

The Doctor isn’t worried (though he hasn’t seen the large tail fin that just passed by the window). “Dangerous! Come on, we’re boys - and you know what boys say in the face of danger?”

“What?” asks Kazran.

“Mummy...!”

40 minutes 07 seconds in

In Hollywood 1952, a worried-looking Abigail has something to tell the adult Kazran.

“A bad thing?” he asks.

“A very bad thing...”

The Impossible Astronaut, 18 minutes 31 seconds in (preceded by the Comic Relief mini-episodes Space and Time, and followed by The Prequel to Episode 1)

Amy has persuaded the Doctor to take her, Rory and River to Washington DC in 1969, despite knowing that the Time Lord is destined to die.

“My life in your hands, Amelia Pond,” says the Doctor...

Day of the Moon, 24 minutes 30 seconds in

The alien finally reveals its identity. It is a name the Doctor has heard before. “We are the Silence... and silence will fall...”

The Curse of the Black Spot, 22 minutes 05 seconds in (preceded by The Prequel to Episode 3)

The Doctor realises that it isn’t just water through which the Siren can pass, but any reflective surface. He and Avery rush to warn the others.

Meanwhile, in the magazine, Toby buffs up the medallion until it gleams...

The Doctor’s Wife, 22 minutes 56 seconds in

Trapped inside the House-possessed TARDIS, the only way for Amy and Rory to stay alive is to keep the being entertained - and the only way to do that is to run...

The Rebel Flesh, 21 minutes 20 seconds in (preceded by The Prequel to Episode 7)

To Rory’s horror, Jennifer’s head - or rather than of her doppelganger - extends towards him on a snake-like neck. “Just let us live,” she hisses...

The Almost People, 23 minutes 47 seconds in

The ganger Cleaves has tricked the rescue shuttle by correctly guessing her counterpart’s code word.

Meanwhile, Rory is confronted by a hideous sight: a pile of half-formed ganger bodies...

A Good Man Goes to War, 23 minutes 40 seconds in

It appears that the Doctor and his allies have won.

However, as Madame Kovarian makes her escape with the baby, she instructs her guards: “Remember, the Doctor must think he’s winning... right until the trap closes…”

Inside the strange house, Rory and Amy find a door with no doorknob and a clock with the hands painted on, and hear the sound of sinister, childlike laughter...

The Girl Who Waited, 22 minutes 45 seconds in

Rory has been surprised by a Handbot. It touches him and he falls to the ground, unconscious.

“Do not be alarmed,” says the robot’s impassive voice. “This is a kindness.” Its head opens up to reveal lethal medicine darts...

(Night and the Doctor, comprising the mini-episodes Bad Night, Good Night, Good as Gold, First Night, Last Night and Up All Night, takes place here)

The God Complex, 24 minutes 21 seconds in

The Doctor confronts the minotaur-like beast. “I just think we should take things slowly, get to know each other.”

The creature raises its head and roars...

Closing Time, 23 minutes 29 seconds in

In Alfie’s room, the Doctor tells the baby: “I am so old, so near the end.”

Downstairs, on the kitchen table, the dormant cybermat sparks back into life...

The Wedding of River Song, 21 minutes 30 seconds in (preceded by The Prequel to The Wedding of River Song)

The Doctor’s delight at seeing Amy turns to confusion when he notices that she is wearing an eye patch - the same kind of eye patch worn by Madame Kovarian. “No...” he whispers. “No, Amy... Amy... Why are you wearing that?”

She raises a gun, and shoots him...

The Doctor, the Widow and the Wardrobe, 17 minutes 33 seconds in (preceded by Death is the Only Answer and The Prequel to The Doctor, the Widow and the Wardrobe)

Cyril opens the strangely glowing present and peers inside...

39 minutes 29 seconds in (subsequent episode followed by Pond Life)

Hearing rainfall outside, the Doctor realises they are trapped within the tower. “The rain that burns,” he murmurs. “Acid rain...”

Asylum of the Daleks, 24 minutes 53 seconds in

Rory realises that the Dalek is not asking him for eggs. As it revives, it finally manages to string together the word: “Ex... ter... min... ate!” Other Daleks reactivate, taking up the chant: “Exterminate!” The first Dalek raises its gun...

Dinosaurs on a Spaceship, 21 minutes 52 seconds in

On the orders of Solomon, the robots have injured Rory’s dad Brian. Solomon gives the Doctor an ultimatum: “Fix me, or the next bolt will be fatal...”

A Town Called Mercy, 22 minutes 41 seconds in

At the town boundary, the Doctor has Kahler-Jex at gunpoint.

“You wouldn’t,” says Kahler-Jex.

With a desperately conflicted look on his face, the Doctor replies, “I genuinely don’t know...”

The Power of Three, 18 minutes 34 seconds in

The Doctor is unimpressed by the cube’s hovering. He used to have a metal dog that could do that. However, he takes the object more seriously when a gun emerges and it starts taking pot-shots at him...

The Angels Take Manhattan, 23 minutes 02 seconds in

When the Doctor grabs River’s hand, she winces in pain. She has lied to him. She has not changed the future after all. Her wrist is broken...

The Snowmen, 18 minutes 18 seconds in (preceded by The Great Detective and Vastra Investigates)

“The drowned woman and the dreaming child will give us form at last,” proclaims the voice in Dr Simeon’s sphere. “Tomorrow the snow will fall, and so shall mankind. She is coming...”

38 minutes 12 seconds in

Standing on the threshold of the door, flanked by his snowmen, Dr Simeon issues the Doctor with an ultimatum. “Release her to us. You have five minutes...”

The Bells of St John, 23 minutes 32 seconds in

Hearing a sound in the sky, the Doctor looks up. Of course – they have Wi-Fi on planes now. A passenger jet is heading right for them.

“You, me, box, now!”

The Doctor grabs Clara’s hand, and pulls her into the TARDIS...

The Rings of Akhaten, 22 minutes 30 seconds in

Clara struggles to reach Merry, but the child’s hand slips through her fingers. Screaming, the young Queen of Years is pulled away, and disappears into the Pyramid...

Cold War, 20 minutes 26 seconds in

“This sub’s stuffed with nuclear missiles, Zhukov,” the Doctor points out to the Russian captain. “It’s packed with them. What do you think Skaldak’s going to do when he finds that out?” The Doctor’s words become an angry rant. “How bad can it be? How bad... can it be?” He turns away. “It couldn’t be any worse.”

Suddenly the submarine shudders. Rocks tumble down on top of the vessel, threatening to shake it loose from its ledge. A fresh surge of water bursts into the compartment...

Hide, 23 minutes 25 seconds in

The TARDIS rematerialises in the grounds of Caliburn House. Within the house, briefly caught in the illumination of a lightning flash, something moves...

Journey to the Centre of the TARDIS, 23 minutes 15 seconds in

In one of the echoes of the console room, Clara opens the door – and accidentally allows one of the zombie creatures inside. She backs away in terror as it advances upon her...

The Crimson Horror, 24 minutes 07 seconds in

The Doctor finds Clara – preserved immobile in a huge bell jar. He tries and fails to reach her through the glass, then turns to Jenny, a look of desperation on his face...

Nightmare in Silver, 24 minutes 16 seconds in (subsequent episode followed by She Said, He Said)

The Captain is about to implode the planet – but is prevented from doing so when she is shot down by an energy weapon. Clara looks on in shock.

Just outside the castle, a Cyberman looks up, coldly regarding its target...

The Name of the Doctor, 21 minutes 50 seconds in(preceded by Clarence and the Whispermen)

The Great Intelligence, in the form of Dr Simeon, confronts Vastra, Jenny and Strax. He explains to them where they are: “Welcome to the final resting place of the cruel tyrant, of the slaughterer of the ten billion, and the vessel of the final darkness. Welcome to the tomb of the Doctor...”

The Day of the Doctor, 6 minutes 58 seconds in(preceded by The Last Day, the Doctor and Clara’s scenes from Doctor Who: The Ultimate Guide and the Doctor’s scenes from The Science of Doctor Who, and followed by The Night of the Doctor)

As he and Clara stare into the three-dimensional depiction of Gallifrey’s last day, the Doctor explains his former self’s role in the Time War. “And in that battle there was a man with more blood on his hands than any other. A man who would commit a crime that would silence the universe. And that man was me...”

30 minutes 02 seconds in

The Tenth and Eleventh Doctors’ attempts to reverse the polarity of the space/time fissure have failed. Another man jumps through. It is the War Doctor. “Anyone lose a fez?” he asks, as the other Doctors stare back in surprise...

The Time of the Doctor, 18 minutes 27 seconds in (preceded by the Doctor and Clara’s scene from the 2013 Doctor Who Prom)

The Doctor and Clara locate the origin of the strange signal. It is an all too familiar crack in the wall...

40 minutes 07 seconds in

Tasha Lem is revealed to be a Dalek puppet. Several Daleks burst into the room. When the Doctor threatens to answer the question that will release the Time Lords, Tasha’s hand crackles with energy and grabs hold of Clara.

“You will die in silence, Doctor,” states the lead Dalek, “or your associate will die...”